Today's News-Thursday, May 8th

(POTTSVILLE)- Schuylkill County's Controller questioned the Commissioners rationale for considering switching from coal to natural gas during Wednesday's work session. The county has received a proposal from Honeywell to make the switch, which the firm guarantees would save the county money. Kantner said she would like Honeywell to talk to her so she could hear their proposal. She also questioned why the county would want to convert to natural gas when coal is readily available, and at the current supplier’s price of $145 dollars a ton, is "a pretty good deal." In other business, Schuylkill Community Action asked for approval to execute a contract between the county and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for a Housing and Redevelopment Assistance program. Schuylkill Community Action will use the $425-thousand-dollars to eliminate vacant, blighted structures while providing affordable housing opportunities for low-to-moderate income individuals and families. The program will demolish 12-blighted structures, while providing 9-units of new residential construction. No matching funds are required from the county.

The head of the county Election Bureau received a standing ovation from the County Commissioners during their work session Wednesday. Betty Dries, her staff and team of election day workers was credited with running a smooth primary election, which saw a turnout of just over 43-percent of the county's 92,511 registered voters. About 1,000 people work on election night at the county's 167 polling places. The counting of the votes, including absentee ballots, was completed by 11:15pm.

Schuylkill County Coroner Joseph Lipsett asked the Commissioners Wednesday to approve an agreement that will return autopsy service to the county from the Lehigh Valley. Lipsett said the autopsies will be performed at the Pottsville Hospital and Warne Clinic by Dr. Richard Bindie at a cost of $1,060-dollars per autopsy plus ancillary fees such as toxicology. Lipsett said the hospital's chief Executive Officer; John Simodejka signed the agreement April 16th. The Commissioners tabled action on the agreement so that the county solicitor can review it. In other business, the Adult probation office asked the Commissioners to approve a proposal for professional services for survey and subdivision of 4.6 acres of land at the Frackville state prison for construction of the proposed pre-release facility. The work will be done by WJP engineers in consultation with Y. Kim Architects and will cost $23-Thousand-Dollars. Next week’s board meeting will be held in the Tamaqua Area High School Auditorium. The Commissioners will be presenting the scholar-athlete trophy to this year's winner, Travers Schmidt.

Minersville police are investigating break-ins at several borough homes earlier this week. Authorities report that over a three day period, homes at 325 and 327 Laurel Street, and 201 North Second Street were entered and copper pipes cut and removed from the properties. Minersville police are following leads on several suspects. Anyone with information about the incidents are urged to call them at 544-2333.

Shenandoah police are looking for vandals who sprayed graffiti on equipment at Bicentennial Park. The artwork was discovered Tuesday on playground equipment. Similar graffiti was sprayed on a fence at the Anthony Damato Post parking lot. Shenandoah borough is offering a $200-dollar reward for information that would lead to an arrest. Report any leads to police at 462-1008.

The state House has approved a bill that would ensure that Pennsylvania's senior citizens enrolled in the PACE and PACENET programs do not lose eligibility because of Social Security cost of living adjustments. The 2 point 3 percent adjustment could have caused some seniors to lose their prescription coverage. The bill guarantees that currently enrolled senior citizens would remain eligible through the end of 2010, regardless of whether the Social Security adjustments push them above income eligibility limits. The measure was passed unanimously by the House. It must still be considered by the state Senate.

Federal judge and Pottsville native John Jones the Third has been named to his alma mater’s Board of Trustees. U.S. District Judge John Jones III earned his bachelor's degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle in 1977. He earned his law degree in 1980 from the Dickinson School of Law, which is also in Carlisle but is independent of Dickinson College. Jones got widespread attention in 2005 when he presided over a trial in which the Dover Area School District was sued. The school board had ordered teachers to introduce the concept of intelligent design as an alternative theory to evolution. After Jones ruled the policy unconstitutional, a new school board was elected that decided not to appeal.

Philly officers off street, video of beating being analyzed

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - One Philadelphia police sergeant and five officers have been removed from street duty as authorities investigate the beating of three suspects. More than a dozen officers were involved in the response. But Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey says investigators were having the TV news footage enhanced. That's to help determine how many of them were actually striking the suspects. Police are also relaying their information to prosecutors to determine if charges are warranted. Police stopped the suspects' car while investigating a triple shooting in the city's Hunting Park neighborhood Monday night. Ramsey says no weapons were found in the car or on the suspects. But he says officers said they had witnessed them shoot three people on a drug corner moments earlier. Philadelphia police capture 3rd suspect in killing of officer after weekend bank robbery

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia police have captured the third suspect in the death of a police officer shot with an assault weapon in a confrontation with bank robbery suspects over the weekend. Police dispatchers said 33-year-old Eric Floyd was taken into custody late last night in the 12th police district in Southwest Philadelphia. Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski was killed Saturday. The
12-year veteran and married father of three would have turned 40 on Tuesday.
One suspect, 33-year-old Howard Cain, was shot to death by police during a chase after the robbery. Another man, 38-year-old Levon Warner, 38, was arrested and charged Sunday with murder, robbery, conspiracy and related offenses. Officials said earlier that the reward for information leading to the arrest of Floyd had grown to $150,000. They have also announced a memorial fund for the slain officer's family. Liczbinski was the third city officer slain on duty in the past two years.

Eagles coach's son admits smuggling drugs into Montgomery County jail

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) - A son of Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid is heading to state prison after admitting he smuggled narcotics into the Montgomery County Jail. Garrett Reid pleaded guilty to drug smuggling charges on Wednesday. The 25-year-old man faces a minimum of two years in state prison. But District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman says he may qualify for
a prison drug-treatment program that could reduce his time. Reid is already serving time in the county jail for a heroin-fueled car crash that injured a motorist. Jail officials say they found 89 pills in his cell just before that guilty plea last fall. His 23-year-old brother, Britt Reid, is in a county drug-court
program after pleading guilty to separate drug and gun charges. GOP senators question quick action on judicial nominee

WASHINGTON (AP) - Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter is among those questioning the speedy confirmation process for Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Helene White. She was chosen by President Bush last month as part of a
compromise to address several judicial vacancies. Specter says holding a hearing only weeks after White's nomination "does not conform with the practices of the committee and is an unusual rush to judgment." Specter and other Republicans say they haven't been able to thoroughly review her record. They note that the American Bar Association had not had enough time to rate her qualifications. An FBI report and White's questionnaire were only completed late last month.

Police: Slaying victim had lent money to killers' relatives

EDWARDSVILLE, Pa. (AP) - Police say a 72-year-old northeastern Pennsylvania man beaten in his home 2 1/2 years ago had loaned money to the family responsible for his death. Peter Lach was found beaten, robbed and restrained in his Edwardsville home in October 2005. State police announced Tuesday that a 37-year-old Exeter man, his wife's 18-year-old daughter and the woman's 18-year-old niece are charged with criminal homicide and other offenses. In an arrest affidavit, police say the man's wife admitted to investigators that she had directed her husband, her daughter and her niece to go to Lach's because she knew Lach kept cash there. Police say the three broke into Lach's home in October 2005. They tied him up and beat him after he awoke to find them in the residence. He died several days later. Beaver Co. father charged in infant's scalding death

ALIQUIPPA, Pa. (AP) - A Beaver County man is accused of spilling boiling water on his 1-year-old daughter, causing her death last month. Police say 37-year-old Troy Moon of Aliquippa swiped at a pot of boiling water and food tray on the stove after arguing with the child's mother. Police say the water fell on 1-year-old Trinity Moon and her mother. The Allegheny County medical examiner says the child died in a Pittsburgh hospital on April 23 of third-degree burns over about half her body. Moon was arraigned Tuesday on homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and child endangerment charges. He is being held in the Beaver County Jail without bail. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

New home of Philadelphia children's museum to open in Oct.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Philadelphia's popular Please Touch Museum will open in its new home in October. The museum has outgrown its downtown location. It's moving to historic Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park, which has more than
triple the space. Workers are renovating and restoring Memorial Hall inside and out. The building is from the 1876 Centennial Exhibition. After that, it was the city's art museum until the current museum was built in 1928. The current Please Touch Museum closes on Labor Day. $6.3M plan aimed at doubling Phila. arts participation

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - A $6.3 million research and marketing initiative seeks to double public participation in the Philadelphia area's arts and cultural events by 2020. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance said the initiative,
dubbed Engage 2020, will include a series of public surveys over time. Those polls are to gauge what arts and cultural activities most interest and involve people in the Philadelphia region. The Cultural Alliance also will help cultural organizations come up with novel ways to reach potential audiences by pairing them with planning consultants. The initiative also calls for increased regional advertising to increase awareness. The Pew Charitable Trusts has provided a $5 million, four-year grant for the project.

BEIJING (AP) - China is urging Myanmar to "cooperate with the international community" to recover from a cyclone that's left tens of thousands dead. The World Food Program says Myanmar is blocking its efforts to bring in food aid.

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan Democrats are offering a new solution to the flap over the state's delegates to the national convention. They want to give 69 delegates to Hillary Clinton and 59 to Barack Obama. Clinton won the primary back in January, but Michigan was stripped of its delegates for holding the contest too early.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Former Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern has switched his allegiance from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama. He says it's virtually impossible for the former first lady to win the nomination. McGovern adds that he remains close friends with the Clintons.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - The body of a Montana woman has been found in the Yellowstone River, a month after she disappeared. Susan Casey's ex-husband had been charged with violating a protection order two days after she vanished last month. He remains free on bail.

NEW YORK (AP) - Dan Rather claims other television networks refused to hire him because of the damage CBS executives did to his reputation after a disputed 2004 report on President Bush. Rather has filed an amended lawsuit against the network. CBS plans to file a motion to dismiss the claim.